Fiber rotator system for scalable and automated alignment of multiple polarization maintaining fibers

Abstract

A fiber rotator system includes a clamp assembly and a fiber rotator assembly for aligning multiple optical fibers. The clamp assembly has a base with fiber channels, fiber clamps, and a guide assembly. The fiber rotator assembly includes a linear actuator and wheel clamps, each aligning with a fiber base channel. Each fiber clamp includes a jaw, connecting rod, spring, and handle, while each wheel clamp includes a linear actuator contactor, wheel jaw, fiber channel rod, and wheel guide. A fiber detection and alignment system analyzes fiber end faces and provides alignment data to a fiber rotator controller. In operation, each wheel clamp contacts and rotates with the linear actuator. The fiber rotator controller selectively engages and disengages the fiber clamps and wheel clamps to iteratively rotate and secure fibers until all fibers are aligned. The system scalably automates alignment of multiple polarization maintaining (PM) fibers with high precision.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fiber rotator system comprising:
 a clamp assembly having a plurality of fiber channels, wherein the clamp assembly includes a base, a plurality of fiber clamps, and a guide assembly, and wherein the guide assembly is disposed above the base;   a fiber rotator assembly having a plurality of fiber wheel channels, wherein the fiber rotator assembly includes a linear actuator and a plurality of wheel clamps, and wherein each wheel clamp is disposed above the linear actuator; and   a fiber rotator controller, wherein the fiber rotator controller is configured to receive fiber alignment information from a fiber detection and alignment system, wherein the fiber detection and alignment system includes an image sensor configured to obtain image data of fiber end faces, and wherein the fiber detection and alignment system predicts whether fiber is aligned based on the image data using one or more neural networks.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein each fiber wheel channel aligns with a respective fiber base channel. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fiber clamps is selectively engageable to clamp fiber against the base of the clamp assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the wheel clamps is selectively engageable such that as a clamped wheel clamp rotates, a fiber within the clamped wheel clamp also rotates and such that as an unclamped wheel clamp rotates, a fiber within the unclamped wheel clamp does not rotate. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the wheel clamps is selectively engageable such that as a clamped wheel clamp rotates, a fiber within the clamped wheel clamp also rotates and such that as an unclamped wheel clamp does not rotate. 
     
     
         6 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein the guide assembly comprises two interlocking cantilevered components. 
     
     
         7 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein the guide assembly connects to the base via one or more interlocking connections. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber rotator system is configured to rotate multiple Polarization Maintaining (PM) fibers simultaneously thereby forming a PM ribbon, and wherein the base is configured to attach to an optical breadboard. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein each fiber clamp comprises:
 a jaw;   a connecting rod;   a spring; and   a handle.   
     
     
         10 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein each wheel clamp comprises:
 a linear actuator contactor;   a wheel jaw;   a fiber channel rod; and   a wheel guide.   
     
     
         11 . The fiber rotator system of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber rotator controller is also configured to control the linear actuator to extend and retract, wherein the fiber rotator controller is also configured to selectively engage and disengage the fiber clamps and wheel clamps based on the fiber alignment information received from the fiber detection and alignment system. 
     
     
         12 . A method comprising:
 placing a plurality of polarization maintaining (PM) fibers of a multi-fiber optical fiber cable into a plurality of fiber channels of a clamp assembly, the clamp assembly comprising a base, a plurality of fiber clamps, and a guide assembly a channel of a base of a clamp assembly;   placing the plurality of stripped ends of PM fibers of the multi-fiber optical fiber cable into a plurality of wheel clamps of a fiber rotator assembly, each wheel clamp having a fiber wheel channel aligned with the corresponding fiber channel of the clamp assembly;   rotating the plurality of wheel clamps using a linear actuator;   detecting fiber alignment using a fiber detection and alignment system, wherein the fiber detection and alignment system includes an image sensor configured to obtain image data of fiber end faces; wherein the fiber detection and alignment system predicts whether fiber is aligned based on the image data using one or more neural networks;   transmitting fiber alignment information from the fiber detection and alignment system to a fiber rotator controller;   determining, by the fiber rotator controller, whether any PM fibers are newly aligned;   clamping any newly aligned PM fibers to the base of the clamp assembly;   disengaging the wheel clamps of any newly aligned fibers; and   determining whether all of the PM fibers are aligned.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fiber detection and alignment system utilize a machine learning system to detect PM fiber alignment, and wherein a clamp-to-ferrule distance is less than seventeen times a ferrule width. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 alerting a user when all of the PM fibers are aligned.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the linear actuator is used to rotate the plurality of wheel clamps such that the wheel clamps include contact portions that contact and rotate along with the linear actuator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the clamp assembly and wheel clamps operate in a seesaw fashion such that when a PM fiber is clamped to the base, then a respective wheel clamp is disengaged, and when the PM fiber is unclamped from the base, then the respective wheel clamp is engaged. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 assembling a guide assembly by attaching cantilevered components together.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 attaching the guide assembly over the base via one or more interlocking connections.   
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 an optical fiber cable, wherein the optical fiber cable comprises multiple optical fibers;   a clamp assembly comprising a base and a plurality of fiber clamps;   a fiber rotator assembly comprising a linear actuator and a plurality of wheel clamps;   a fiber detection and alignment system comprising an image sensor and a neural network configured to predict fiber alignment based on image data;   a fiber rotator controller configured to receive fiber alignment information from the fiber detection and alignment system; and   means for individually clamping optical fibers to selectively prevent or promote rotation of each optical fiber.